Debate on AKbar's fate delayed

Debate on AKbar's fate delayed

JAKARTA: Leaders of the House of Representatives (DPR) failed
Tuesday to discuss a proposal submitted by nearly 100 legislators
to suspend Speaker Akbar Tandjung for his role in a financial
scandal involving the State Logistics Agency (Bulog).

Akbar, who chaired a meeting of House leaders on Tuesday, told
reporters that House leaders needed more time to study the case.

"Maybe we can take it up in the next House leaders meeting.
Unfortunately we ran out of time and could not get to that
particular issue today," Akbar was quoted by Antara as saying.

The meeting was attended by House deputy speakers Soetardjo
Soerjogoeritno of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle,
A.M. Fatwa of the National Mandate Party, Tosari Widjaja of the
United Development Party, and Muhaimin Iskandar of the National
Awakening Party as well as House Secretary General Siti
Nurhayati.

Akbar did not say when House leaders would meet again.

At least 70 legislators, including those from Akbar's Golkar
Party, submitted a petition earlier seeking the suspension of
Akbar as House speaker after he was found guilty of corruption in
a Rp 40 billion financial scandal involving Bulog.